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- Thread starter RU72
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First of all, I don‘t think most people understand how highly regarded Ace and Dylan are. I just took a quick look at 3 prominent mock draft boards, they all have Ace #2, and Dylan anywhere from 3 to 5. Unless they get seriously injured, their draft stock is unlikely to move much more than a few spots, even if their year at Rutgers is disappointing. If they underperform, most NBA front offices, who have a low opinion of college coaches in general, will assume our staff didn’t know how to maximize their abilities.
Secondly, the way we play defense is not the way it is played in the NBA and success in our system has little bearing on whether they can play defense in the NBA, where teams largely play straight man to man, with very limited switching and little help, except against the superstars. Our pressing, overplaying the ball, switching and help would just be seen as gimmicky by NBA teams, and easily defeated by superior ball movement. I actually think Pike should consider playing more an NBA defense next year with better athletes coming in, he might give up some easy buckets when players get beat, but he can take away all the easy open 3 pointers we give up, and would be easier for our young players to pick up, because you mainly just focus on your man. Just by way of an example, I have attached a clip of Dennis Smith Jr playing elite NBA defense, all on the ball, no help. No one at Rutgers has ever played defense like this.
I didn’t have time to check for each one, but I knew none of them would be in the 19-21 range.
so pike turns around the program from the dead with defense as the calling card and for 2 kids that will be with the program for 9 months we should change it completely.
You can still play great defense, just with a system that is much easier to pick up. And I have news for you, the defense isn’t as good as you think. It is easily exploitable but better offensive teams. Outside of the BIG, a lot more teams play like Iowa.
Nah. You're not another one of those statistic deniers are you?
Our defense is very good against the slow plodding teams of the BIG, but teams that can handle the ball, play with pace, look for the open shooter can easily defeat our defense. A very mediocre ND team picked us apart with a few days to prepare for the play in game, Princeton did the same thing this year. God forbid we ever play Baylor or Gonzaga, because they will run us off the court and beat us by 30+. Our defense is not versatile, and when it obvious a team has are number, Pike has been unable to adjust.
Flagg Ace and Dylan could be the 1, 2, and 3 picks in the draft
Duke is basketball royalty
It's not that complicated why people think this game would be exciting and draw national attention
Our fans want a parade of cupcakes!? Who said that? Who wants that and why do you exaggerate ? Another macho man BS statement.
The Big 10 is 21st in tempo and 7th in efficiency (and that's with Rutgers dragging down the efficiency) out of 32 leagues.
I'm simple.
I want to EASILY make the tournament just one year.
If that means going 10-0 or 9-1 OOC with 9 cupcakes then do that.
That has literally never happened despite our "easy OOC" to date.
I'll worry about getting a Top 4 seed after we have gotten a single digit seed just once.
National attention is when people write the letters RU on their brackets.
I was in agreement with you until “no one at Rutgers has ever played defense like this.” We have had and currently have plenty of tenacious, space-eating on-ball defenders under Pikiell.
No one has been anything close to that on the ball without help. If they were they would be in the NBA like Dennis Smith Jr, who is not a good offensive player. It is a completely different level.
And playing Duke would single handedly end our tournament hopes?
I mean sure. I thought you meant stylistically, in terms of how they play and are asked to play. I’d argue Caleb is up there, his athleticism and offense is just limited and he’s at least getting run in the G-League.
No. But is playing Duke helping our tournament hopes?
Can we make the tournament without playing Duke?
If we are replacing Princeton or Mississippi State or Wake Forest (all losses) - I'd rather we go for actual wins.
Instead of "better losses".
Unless the premise is "yes we lost to those teams but next year will be different against a much much better team".
not for nothing but no one cares about 11 seeds who finish 19-12 with a non conference sos of 333
Beating Duke is better than beating Mississippi State
Losing to Duke is better than losing to Mississippi State
I don't want to play 5 elite OOC teams, but there is no reason to be scared of playing 1. That's just silly
I do. You do. That dog does. When that 11 seed beats the 6 seed and then takes out the 3 seed then we are cooking.
The only way to get to the Sweet 16 is to make the NcAA tournament.
I can just about promise you, barring injuries, we will be much better in January then we will be in November.
What about beating Mississippi State v. losing to Duke?
Has nothing to do with being scared.
It's about maximizing opportunity to make the tournament - something we've barely done on the occasions we made it.
Play Duke. But if we go 7-3 and lose all the marquee OOC (like we've done every year), the "upgraded loss" to Duke isn't doing anything.
Scraping into the ncaa tournament at 19-12 with 2 one and dones will raise questions
Its giving ru a huge bump in non conference sos and it matters
How about finishing 15-16?
Question for you and everyone who is so bullish on next season......
Where do you expect our defense to be ranked next year?
What FG% do you expect Ace to shoot (overall and from 3)
What FG% do you expect Dylan to shoot (overall and from 3)
What is your expectation for Gavin next year?
How many minutes per game do those 3 play?
Gavin was the 23rd ranked recruit and he is barely playing. the hit rate and more importantly the success rate of teams isn't as sure thing as people expect. Most of these players have a surrounding cast.
You look at a guy like Gregory GG Jackson #6 went to South Carolina. 6'9 200 straetch 4... they went 11-21 he shot 42% from 2 and 32% from 3. he is doing fine in the NBA.
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The bump in OCC SOS losing to Duke is better than a win over Miss St?
Doesn't the bump only matter if you are winning the games?
We could go 3-7 with the #1 OCC SOS. What's the value there?
This is true. I don’t blame Pike on Stonehill. To his credit, they weren’t that bad last year.
Look at Central CT - the one year we don’t schedule them they have a winning record and leading their division.
Can’t always control how the non-conference midmajors turn out but it was known pre-season that LIU would likely be one of the worst teams in the country. There was no reason to schedule that one. I really hope we at least avoid those types of teams.
No one wants that (except maybe bac)
This is the straw man argument people are creating though
Caleb is a great help defender, but he is slow and faster players could get by him and drive to the basket. Even though he is good, he still needs a lot of help. In the NBA, unless you are covering a superstar, you can’t count on any help coming. Centers can’t roam around like the do it college, because you will end up giving up easy buckets to opposing centers, several of whom are among the best players in the league. Defenders need to be able to stay in front of their man, and not let them drive to the basket, and yet play tight enough that they can’t get open threes. Pike’s defense gives up 3s like candy. Imagine Pike’s system in the NBA, where teams commonly take 50 3s a game, it would be a complete disaster.
I agree though that’s not only true of Rutgers but much of CBB defense in general. There is virtually no doubling on the perimeter, full court presses, etc in the NBA. But there are plenty of aggressive man principles in Pikes defense, just look at the way Davis defends his man in one on one situations.
Facts are facts. The numbers are real numbers. If you want to interpret them and explain why they may overrate our D with specific reasons I will listen.
We are #4 in defensive efficiency in the country. The defense measures how much points you give up per possession. What metric is a better expression of defense?
I’m just saying we do well against certain types of teams, many of which are represented in the BIG. Teams that know how to spread the floor and have multiple shooters and make an extra pass don’t have much trouble with our defense. Iowa does it virtually every team they play us, ND did it to us in the play in, they couldn’t stop us (mainly Caleb) from scoring, but scored on us at will, Princeton did the same, and like a lot system coaches, Pike doesn’t adjust well when it is clear his system isn‘t working.
absolutely on the first count
2nd point you are being ridiculous..please come to this discussion properly
